October 04, 2001

Homecoming 2001 To Honor American Spirit, Renew
WKU Spirit

Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University will celebrate the American spirit and the Western spirit during Homecoming 2001.

To honor the American spirit displayed since the attacks of Sept. 11, Western changed its Homecoming theme to "American Spirit-WKU Unites." The original theme of the Oct. 15-21 event was "There's No Place Like Home," taken from the "Wizard of Oz."

Homecoming events will incorporate the patriotic spirit and will reinvigorate the Western spirit, said Mary Beth Frith, associate director of Alumni Relations and co-chair of the Homecoming Committee. "This year's Homecoming is one that you will not want to miss," she said.

The Hilltoppers meet McNeese State at 4 p.m. Oct. 20 in the Homecoming football game at L.T. Smith Stadium. Homecoming, however, is a weeklong celebration that features events for the 14 Homecoming queen candidates, programs to honor alumni, events for families, reunions for alumni and the return of the Homecoming parade.

"The parade had been a tradition at Western Kentucky University for many years," Frith said. "This year, members of the Warren County WKU Alumni Chapter decided to revive the parade as a way of sharing the Western experience with their children and other youngsters in the community."

The Oct. 19 parade, which will begin at the old Bowling Green Junior High School on Center Street and end at the practice football field on Big Red Way, will include the WKU band, floats built by student organizations and Corvettes carrying Homecoming queen candidates. Toppers on Trikes, featuring children on bicycles, tricycles or wagons, will join the parade at Dogwood Drive.

A new event this year is a community interfaith worship service on Oct. 21 featuring award-winning singer Larnelle Harris, a member of WKU's Hall of Distinguished Alumni. The service, co-sponsored by Broadway and State Street United Methodist churches, begins at 11 a.m. in Van Meter Auditorium.

On Oct. 19, four new members of Western's Hall of Distinguished Alumni at the Bowling Green-Warren County Convention Center. The 2001 inductees are Dr. Basil C. Cole, who helped produce the formula for Sugar-Free 7UP; Duncan Hines, one of the most recognized names associated with food and hospitality; Louie B. Nunn, former Kentucky governor; and Billy Ray Smith, Kentucky's agriculture commissioner.

A complete listing of Homecoming 2001 events is available on Western's website (www.wku.edu), but here are some of the highlights:

Monday, Oct. 15
Reception for Homecoming queen candidates, noon, WKU Alumni Center.

Tuesday, Oct. 16
Chili/cheese luncheon and pep rally, 11 a.m., State Street Presbyterian Church in downtown Bowling Green.

WKU-Glasgow campus celebration, 4:30 p.m., Liberty Street gymnasium in Glasgow.

Thursday, Oct. 18
Summit Awards to recognize WKU volunteers, 6:30 p.m., WKU South Campus.

Friday, Oct. 19
Hall of Distinguished Alumni induction luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Bowling Green-Warren
County Convention Center.

Homecoming Parade followed by Big Red Street Fest, 5:30 p.m. Big Red Way.

School of Journalism and Broadcasting awards dinner, 6 p.m., Garrett Conference Center.

Communications Department recognition dinner, 6:30 p.m., Bowling Green-Warren County Convention Center.

Big Red's Roar, 7:30 p.m., Colonnade by the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center.

Saturday, Oct. 20
Several breakfast and luncheon gatherings, including the 50th annual College Heights Herald breakfast at 9 a.m. at Garrett Conference Center.

Festival of Friends, 1 p.m., Downing University Center South Lawn.

WKU football vs. McNeese State, 4 p.m., L.T. Smith Stadium. Homecoming queen will be crowned at halftime.

Step Show, 8 p.m., E.A. Diddle Arena.

Sunday, Oct. 21
Alumni Golf Scramble, 9 a.m., Trace at Bays Fork.

Community worship service, featuring Larnelle Harris, 11 a.m., Van Meter Auditorium.
WKU Choir and Symphonic Band Concert, 3 p.m., Van Meter Auditorium

For more information on Homecoming 2001, contact the WKU Alumni Association at (270) 745-4395 or 1-888-WKU-ALUM.

More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via E-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.